Air pressure eye cup



Dec. 31, 1957 A. DE FELICE 2,818,068

AIR PRESSURE EYE CUP Filed se t'. 2, 1956 INVENTOR. ANTHONY DE FEucE United States Patent AIR PRESSURE EYE CUP Anthony De Felice, Danbury, Conn.

Application September 2, 1955, Serial No. 532,269

1 Claim. (Cl. 128-249) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in eye bath devices.

More particularly, the present invention proposes the construction of an improved eye bath device having a cup for eye bath liquid such as boric acid and the like with an air inlet at the bottom of the cup and means to supply air through the inlet to agitate liquid in the cup for bathing a persons eye with the liquid in the cup.

As a further object, the present invention proposes forming the cup with an eye-shaped rim adapted to fit around a persons eye and with a stand having an undersurface adapted to rest upon flat surfaces such as tables, night stands, medicine cabinet shelves and the like.

Another object of the present invention proposes forming the cup with a hollow stem extending from one side upwardly and outwardly with an air bulb connected with the stem for supplying air through the stem to the bottom of the cup.

Still another object of the present invention proposes constructing the device with a mouth tube connected with the hollow stem so that a person can agitate liquid in the cup to bathe his eye merely by blowing through the mouth tube while the rim of the cup is pressed around the eye to be bathed.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claim in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a side view of an eye bath device constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the air bulb squeezed and air bubbles agitating the bath.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but illustrating a modification of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Figs. 1 and 5 but illustrating another modification of the present invention.

The eye bath device in accordance with the first form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, is designed generally by the reference numeral 15.

Eye bath device has a cup 16 and a base 17 with a fiat undersurface 18 for resting on fiat surfaces such as tables, night stands, medicine chest shelves and the like.

Cup 16 has a bottom 19, side walls 20 and a top eyeshaped rim 21 adapted to fit around a persons eye. Preferably the cup 16 and base 17 are integral and may be molded in one piece of thermoplastic material, clay, glass, metal or the like.

A stem 22 at one side of the cup 16 extends upwardly "ice and outwardly and a conduit or air passage 23 extends through the stem 22 and side wall of the cup into the cup at the bottom of the cup.

On the free end 24 of the stem 22 there is a groove 25 and connected to said grooved end is a rubber air bulb 26 having an open end, the mouth 27 of said open end being fitted over the end of the stem and being embedded in said groove 25.

Air bulb 26 has an air inlet and outlet opening 28 in a fitting 29 disposed at the other end 30 of the air bulb. By squeezing the bulb (see Fig. 4) air bubbles 31 agitate the liquid bath 32 in the cup bathing a persons eye when the rim of the cup is pressed around the eye.

The modification oi the invention illustrated in Fig. 5 is characterized by the provision of a cup 40 and base 41, the cup having a bottom 42, side walls 43, and an eyeshaped rim 44. A stem 45 extends outwardly adjacent the base 41 and an air conduit 46 extends through the stem and side walls 43 of the cup into the cup at the bottom of the cup. An air bulb 47 is connected with the conduit 46 and stem 45 for supplying air through the conduit to the bottom of the cup. Air bulb 47 has an air inlet and outlet opening 48 at one end 49.

The modification of the invention illustrated in Fig. 6 is characterized by the provision of a cup 50 and a base 51. Cup 50 has a bottom 52, side walls 53 and an eye- .shaped rim 54. A stem 55 extends outwardly and upwardly from the cup at one side of the cup. An air conduit 56 extends through the stem 55 and through the side wall of the cup into the cup at the bottom of the 7 cup. A mouth tube 57 has a bulbous end 58 connected to the stern and conduit and has another end 59 to which is secured a mouthpiece 60. By blowing through the mouthpiece 60 and mouth tube 57 air can be supplied via the conduit 56 to the bottom of the cup to agitate liquid in the cup.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

An eye bath device comprising a plastic cup and an integral base having a flat undersurface for resting upon flat surfaces, said cup having a bottom, side walls and a top eye-shaped rim adapted to fit around a persons eye, an air conduit extending through the cup at the bottom of the cup for agitating liquid in the cup, an integral stem at one side of the cup upwardly and outwardly directed, said conduit being disposed in the stern, and a mouth tube having a bulbous end connected with said conduit for supplying air at the bottom of the cup through the conduit, and a mouthpiece on the other end of the tube.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 746,749 Seidel Dec. 15, 1903 FOREIGN PATENTS 14,526 Great Britain Oct. 10, 1907 34,504 Norway Mar. 27, 1922 45,562 Switzerland July 20, 1908 

